#YouMadeItHappen - Thanks to you, we have nearly doubled the land in our care over the past decade: Fishlake Meadows in Romsey has become a Trust nature reserve following years of negotiation through the planning system and St Clair’s Meadow in Soberton was a rapid purchase generously supported by the local community and external funders. On the Isle of Wight we are restoring over 30 hectares of wetland. The Eastern Yar valley contains some of the deepest peat beds in southern England and is an important area for wildlife, including kingfishers, water voles, cuckoos and barn owls. We could not have done this without your support, thank you. #ThankYou#birdsofinstagram#birds#heron#naturereserve#naturereserves

We spent a gorgeous morning at Donna Nook today. There were so many seals and really close to the fences too. They didn’t seem to mind the hoards of people, and it was incredibly busy being the weekend. It saddened me to hear some of the immature comments from adults when a pair were mating in the distance. A natural event, in a partly natural environment but with hundreds of people looking on yet they laughed and made lewd remarks. One father told his kids they were fighting, as telling them the truth was obviously far too embarrassing for him to explain. And don’t even get me started on people who were smoking right near the fences! 🤬 The reserve is run by @lincswildlifetrust and the conservation work they do is amazing and funded with 20% of the £5 car park fee and people dropping donations in the boxes dotted around. I do hope that one day they can get enough money without having to open it up so radically to the public, not only to conserve the sand dunes from thousands of pairs of feet but also to allow the seals to be in a quiet and natural environment to give birth and mate without an audience. ————————————————————— #donnanook#donnanookseals#donnanooknationalnaturereserve#donnanooknaturereserve#lincolnshirewildlifetrust#wildlifetrust#nature#seals#greyseals#lincolnshire#coast#lincolnshirecoast